Ring-clamp.



P. C. WIDMANN.

RING CLAMP.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909. i

UITE STATES FATEN T OFFICE.

FRANK C. WIDIVIANN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RING-CLAMP.

To all whom t may conce-m:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. I/VIDMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Chio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ring-Clamps, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to clamps for holdin rings or similar articles while stones are being set therein, and it has for its object the production of a clamp that is adapted to securely hold rings of practically all shapes and sizes.

Heretofore, as far as I am aware, the jaws between which the rings are clamped have been rigid or non-adjustable, so that, while the jaws may be adapted to engage properly with the side edges of one shape of ring, they will not properly engage with rings of other shapes, but will leave the latter insecurely clamped and liable to slip or turn. In my invention, the clamping aws are pivoted to the clamping bars and are, by this construction, rendered self-adjustable so as to accommodate themselves to practically any shape of ring.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure l is a perspective View of my improved clamp having a ring held therein; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the center of the clamp, the same holding a ring of one form; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the clamping jaws holding a differently shaped ring.

Taking up a more detailed description of my invention by reference to the drawings, l and 2 represent the clamping bars, which are provided near their centers with perforation 3 and 4 respectively, said perforations being, by preference, slightly conical, as shown. Between the bars is a cylindrical fulcrum member 5 that is also perforated; and, through the perforations in the bars and in the member, extends a pivot pin 6, which is so headed at its ends that it will not draw through the bars. At one of their ends the bars are slotted at 7, and in these slots I pivot the clamping jaws, said jaws having recessed disk-shaped face-portions 8 that are adapted to face each other as shown. At the rear of each of the jaws is a tongue 9 that extends into the slots 7, being held therein by pivot pins 10. The rear of the face portions 8 and the front of the adjacent Specification of Letters Patent. Pagnted NOV.. 30, 1909. Application filed August 5, 1908.

Serial No. 447,154.

portions of the bars l and 2 are conveXed, as shown in Fig. 3, in order to permit the jaws to swing about the pivot pins; and, to prevent the aws from binding during their swinging motion, I preferably elongate slightly the pivot holes in the tongues 9, as shown in Fig. 2. To accommodate the jaws and to prevent them from projecting too far inwardly, the bars are recessed at l1; and in order to increase the friction on the ring, the faces of the jaws are recessed, in which recesses I place some material l2, preferably leather, that will securely grip -the rings. The bars l and 2 extend beyond the fulcrum member 5, and have their ends recessed to receive friction members 13, between which, a wedge 14 is adapted to be forced in order to spread apart these ends of the bars and cause the jaws to securely grip the ring. These friction members may also be made of leather.

As shown in Fig. 3, the ring 15 is much narrower at one side than the other and the jaws are tilted, which position they have autonitically assumed as the clamp is tightene In Fig. 2 the ring l5a has its opposite edges parallel, but the jaws nevertheless automatically adjust themselves to this shape of ring.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a ring clamp, a pair of bars that are pivotally secured together at a point substantially midway their ends, one end of said bars being slotted, a gripping jaw for each of said bars, each of said jaws comprising a disk portion and a tongue at the rear of said portion, said tongues extending into the slots in the bars and the tongues being provided with elongated apertures, pins projecting through the bars and through the elongated apertures in the tongues, the adj acent surfaces of the aws and the bars being convexed in order that the jaws may turn freely upon their pivots, frictional material carried by the adjacent faces of the jaws and means for forcing said jaws toward each other, for the purpose specified.

2. In a ring clamp, a pair of bars that are pivotally secured together at a point substantially midway their ends, one end of said bars being slotted, a gripping jaw for each of said bars, each of said jaws comprising a disk portion and a tongue at the rear of said portion, said tongues extending into the slots in the bars and the tongues being prosel'ted between the ends of the bars opposite 10 vided with elongated apertures, pins prothe jaws for forcing said jaws toward each ject-ing through the bars and through the other, for the purpose speeed.

elongated apertures in the tongues, the ad- In testimony whereof, I hereunto ax my jacent surfaces of the aws and the bars bei' signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ing conveXed in order that the jaws may FRANK C. VIDMANN. turn freely upon their pivots, frctonal lna- Vtnesses:

teral carried by the adjacent faces of the J. B. HULL,

jaws, and a wedge that s adapted to be nu A. J. HUDSON. 

